Fuse for projectiles



J. W. DARLEY, JR.

FUSE FOR PROJECTILES.

APPLICATION FILED MAYIZ, 1915.

1,35 1 ,416. I Patented Aug. 31,1920.

entree said JOHN DARLEY, JR., 0F BALTIMURE, MARYLAND.

FUSE FOR PRGJECTILES.

Application filed May 12,

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN W. DARLEY, Jr, a citizen of the United States, residing at Baltimore, inthe State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inFuses for Projectiles, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to'fuses for projectiles, and the object of my invention is to produce a fuse, the firing pin of which shall be normally locked, which shall be unlocked when the speed of rotation of the projectile exceeds a predetermined limit, and which afterward shall fire theexplosive contained in the projectile when the speed of said projectile diminishes below a predetermined limit.

By constructing a fuse to operate in this manner, I am enabled to explode a projectile under water even though it should not strike a solid object, and thus the projectile is rendered an effective weapon against submarine boats,"

The fuse herein shown and described, is intended for use with a special form of projectile' adapted for use against submarine boats as shown and described in my appli cation for Letters Patent filed on even date herewith.

Said projectile is intended to rotate on an axis at right angles to the trajectory and in such a direction as to eliminate or greatly diminish the upward resistance of the. water, whereby ricochetting is prevented and the projectile can be exploded after passing through a certain length of path of water, owing to the skin friction reducing the speed of rotation of the projectile to the limit at which my new fuse acts..;Hence the projectile will explode if it strikes a submarine or if not, it will explode as just described, because inboth cases the speed of rotation will be reduced to theproper limit. Such a projectile equipped with my new fuse is thus an effective weapon. againsta submarine, because anexplosion can be produced against the hull or in the neighborhood thereof, thus increasing the dangerous space.

The fuse herein shown and described, however, is capable of use with any form of projectile, providing that it has a motion of rotatlon. In whatever form of projectile used, the

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Aug. 31, 1%20.

1915. Serial No. 27,616.

longitudinal axis of the fuse is to be substantially in line with the axis of rotation of the projectile. 7

In the drawings y E Figure l is a side view of my improved use; V V

Fig. 2 is a front view thereof; Fig. 3 is a section along the line 3, 3 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrow.

Fig. 4 is a rear View of the guide; Fig. 5 is a section along the line 5, 5 of Fi 4, looking in the direction of the arrow;

Fig. 6 is a front view of the guide; Fig. 7 is a rear view of the firing pin; Fig. 8 is a longitudinal section of the firing pinalong the line 8, 8 of Fig. 7 looking in the direction of the arrow;

F ig. 9 is a front view of the firing pin; Fig. 10 is a rear viewof the detent; Fig. 11 is a side elevation of the detent; Fig. 12 is a front viewof the detent; Fig-13 is a rear view of the front cap; 2

Fig. 14: is a longitudinal central section of the part shown in Fig. 13; and

F ig. 15 is a front view of the" front cap.

Fig. 16 is a side view of the projectile with which my improved fuse is preferably used, an

Fig. 17 is a central section of the projectileshown in Fig. 16. V

20 is a casing of any suitable metal provided with screw threads 21, 22 and 28. By

means of the thread 22 the fuse is to be t "screwed into the projectile.

Any type of projectile that has a motion of revolution can be used with my improved fuse, but said fuse is preferably used with the type of projectile shown in Figs. 16 and 17 and fully described in my application for U. S. Letters Patent filed on even date herewith. V

7 Referring to said figures, said projectile consists of the spherical body 79 having a groove 80 therein per zone 81.

Said projectile is intended to be fired from a special type of gun, shown in said application for U. S. Letters Patent, so that it will rotate around-the axis passing through the center of the casing 20, said axis being preferably horizontal and at right angles to. the trajectory. i

Said projectile may be so rotated, with in which is shrunk a copits forward surface moving downwardly when it is desired to prevent the shell from ricocheting when it strikes the surface of the sea or when it is desired to have a trajectory incurvated downwardly for attacking positions behind obstructions.

Should it be desired to cause the pro ectile to ricochet from the surface of the sea, then it is to be rotated with its forward surface moving upwardly.

lVhen the projectile is fired. with its forward surface moving upwardly the reaction of its surface with the air will act contrary to the force of gravity and tend to flatten the trajectory or even cause it to be incurvated upwardly.

The projectile may be fired with its axis at any angle to the horizontal to cause said trajectory to be incurvated to varying degrees either to the right or left.

The rear end of the casing 20 is closed by a rear end cap 24:, provided with a recess containing priming powder 25. The cap 24: is provided with a neck 26 upon which is secured a detonatingcap 27.

The interior of the casing 20 is cylindrical in form excepting for the tapered part 28, which is to receive the tapered part 29 of the guide 30. The guide is metal and the body 31 is cylindrical in shape and fits snugly in the interior ofthe casing 20. I

A hole 32 extends from the rear end of the body 31 of the guide toward the front of same, to the line 33 which is in line with the juncture of the tapered portion 29 and the cylindrical portion 31. The hole 32 is formed by the flat sides 34, 34 and the semicylindrical ends 35, 35.

From the line 33 to the front of the guide the cylindrical hole 36 extends axially and two slots 38, 38 extend'radially from'this hole. Slots 39, 39 are cut radially across the front of the guide 30.

The firing pin, shown in Figs. 7, 8 and 9, is formed of metal, and consists of the cylindric portion 40, provided with a flange 41 having a beveled edge 42.

The cylindrical portion is further provided with a flange d3 having the holes 4d. A cylindrical guide 45, which is of a diameter to fit loosely in the interior of the easing 20, joins the flange 43 and is provided with a front flange 16. A. cylindrical hole a? extends from the front end of the firing pin to the flange i3; all parts of the firing pin are ormed of one piece of metal.

The detent shown in Figs. 10, 11 and 12 is preferably formed of high grade steel and provided with a spring temper. It is formed from a piece of steel of the proper diameter and length by boring a cylindrical hole d8 from the front end to the inner face l9 of the pawls 51. The body is then turned cylindrical between the lugs 52 and pawls 51, leaving cylindrical flanges on the ends of said piece of steel of the thickness respectively of the pawls 51 and lugs 52. The pawls 51 then countersunk as at 53,

and a slot 54 is milled through the pawls to the hole 4C8. The outer portions of the end flanges are then milled off to shape the outer portions of the pawls 51, and the lugs 52.

Slots 55 and 68 are then cut through the cylindrical portions of the detent, thus leaving a fastening portion 56., provided with the lugs 52, two spring portions 57, and two weighted portions 58 provided with the pawls '51.

The front end cap shown in Figs. 13, 1-1 and 15 consists of the body 59, provided with the screw threads 60 and G3 and the cylindrical neck portion 61 having the cylindrical hole 62. The neck portion 61 is to be a snug fit in the hole 48 ofthe detent, and the portion l-Oof the firing pin is to slide freely in the hole 62. The screw. thread 63 is to lit the screw thread 23 of the casing 20.

In assembling my fuse, the detent as shown in Fig. 11, is to have its lugs 52 passed from the left toward the right through the hole 32 and slots 38 of the guide, shown in Fig. 5, until the lugs'52 are'clear of the front face of the guide, the latter is then to be revolved 90 degrees to bring the slots 39 opposite thelugs 52, then'the detent is to be moved toward the left to bring the lugs 52-into the slot 39. The fasteningportion 56 0f the detent will then fit snugly in the hole 36.

The guide body 31, carrying the detent is then to be forced into the casing 20. The front end cap is then to be screwed into place, then its portion 61 will enter the hole 48 of the detent and its portion 59 will force the taper 29 of the guide into firmengagement with the taper 28 of the casing. It is obvious that with this construction, the casing 20, the guide 30 and the detent portion 56 and lugs 52 are all firmly locked together, that the weighted portions 58 of the detent can move outwardly in the hole 32, but that the flat sides of said hole prevent any lateral motion of said weighted portions 58. i

The firing pin is then to be introduced into the rear end of the casing and its cylindrical portion lO is to have its front end introduced into the hole 62 of the front cap. During this movement of the firing pin toward the position shown in Fig. 3, the beveled edge 42 will strike the countersunk portions 53 of the detent and cause pawls 51 to lift over'the flange ell, and then these parts will assume the relative positions shown in Fig. 3.

Therear end cap 24c is then'to be screwed into place. Holes as 64: are provided in the casing 20 and the end caps 24 and 59 for the application of suitable wrenches.

The casing 20 can then be screwed into the projectile, the spring 65 introduced into the hole 47 of the firing pin through the threaded hole 60 of the front cap and the screw 66 screwed into place. The screw 66 has a tit 67 which fits loosely on the inside of the spring 65.

Thespring 65 and screw 66 may be placed in position just before the projectile is fired if preferred.

The operation of my improved fuse is as follows-The normal position of the parts is as shown in Fig. 3, with thespring 65 tending to push the firing pin toward the left, but prevented from so doing because the flange 11 of the firing pin is locked by the pawls 51.

When the projectile is fired, the revoluti on thereof will cause the pawls 51 to move outwardly under the influence of the centrifugal force on the weighted portions 58, thus releasing the flange Q1. The spring 65 will then move the firing pin toward the left until the flange 46 strikes theouter ends of the pawls 51, thus holding the firing pin until the speed of the revolution of the pro-h V pin, and unitary means operated by centrijectile has decreased to such a degree that the inward stress of the spring portions 57 will cause the pawls 51 to release the flange 5&6. When this happens the spring 65 forces the firing pin against the fulminating cap 27 and explodes the projectile.

I claim:

1. The combination with a casing of a detonating cap and means carried by said casing for detonating said cap when the peed of rotation of said casing decreases oelow a predetermined high speed.

2. The combination with a casing of a 'detonating cap, a firing pin, means for nortent, a firing pin having two members for cooperating with said detent, said detent being so constructed and arranged that said detent normally locks one of said members,

then unlocks said member and locks the sec-.

ond member when the speed of rotation of said casing increases above a predetermined limit, and then unlocks said second member, when the speed of rotation of said casing diminishes below a predetermined limit.

The combination of a casing with a detonating cap, means for firing said cap, means for normally locking said firing means, means for unlocking said firing means when the speed of rotation of said casing diminishes below a predetermined high speed.

6. The combination with a casing with a detonating cap, normally locked firing means carried by said casing for firing said cap, unitary means for unlocking and again locking said firing means when the speed of rotation of said casing exceeds a predetermined speed and means for again unlocking said firing means when said speed of rotation decreases below a predetermined speed. I

7. The combination with a casing of a detonating cap, normally locked firing means carried by said casing for firing said cap, unitary means for unlocking said firing means at a predetermined speed of rotation of said casing and obstructing the movement of said firing means toward said detonating cap, and means for firing said cap when the speed of rotation of saidv casing decreases below a predetermined speed.

8. The combination with a casing of a detonating cap, a normally locked firing fugal force for unlocking and again locking said firing pin when the speed of rotation exceeds a predetermined speed and for again unlocking said firing pin when the speed of rotation of said casing diminishes below a predetermined speed.

9. The combination with a casing of a detonating cap, a normally locked firing pin, unitary means operated by centrifugal force for unlocking and again locking said firing pin when the speed of rotation EX- ceeds a predetermined speed and for again unlocking said firing pin when the speed of rotation of said casing diminishes below a predetermined speed, and means for forcing said firing pin against said cap.

10. The combination with a casing of a detonating cap, a firing pin, a weighted detent for normally locking said firing pin, said detent being so constructed that it unlocks and then locks said firing pin when the speed of rotation increases beyond a predetermined speed and then unlocks said firing pin when the speed of rotation of' said casing diminishes below a predetermined speed, and means for forcing said pin against said cap.

11. The combination with a casing of a detonating cap, a firing pin, a weighted detent and means on said firing pin'cooperating therewith for normally locking said firing pin, said detent being so constructed that it unlocks said firing. pin when the speed of rotation of'said casing diminishes below a predetermined speed, and means for forcing said pin against said cap.

12. The combination with a casing of a detonating cap, a firing pin, a sprin for forcing said pin against said cap, a v ange on said firing pin',a detent cooperating with said flange to normally look said firing pin, a second flange on said firing pin cooperating with said detent to lock said firing pin until the speed of rotation of said casing diminishes below a predetermined speed.

2}. lhecomhination with a projectile revolving on an axis at right angles to the trajectory, ofan explosive charge contained in said projectile and a fuse mounted in said pro ectile, said use comprising a firing pm,

means for moving said pin, means for unlocking said pm when said shell 13 fired and means for forcing'said pin against the Pl'lIIlGI' when the speed of rotation of said shell is reduced to a predetermined speed.

14:. The combination with a projectile revolving on an axis at right angles to the trajectory, of an explosive charge contained in said projectile, and a fuse mounted in said projectile with its axis in line with the axis of said projectile.

15. The combination with a projectile revolving on an axis at right angles to the trajectory, of an explosive charge contained in said projectile, and a fuse comprising a detonating cap and means for firing said cap when the speed of rotation of said projectile diminishes below a predetermined speed.

16. The combination with a projectile revolving on an axis at right angles to the trajectory, t an explosivecharge contained in said projectile, and a fuse comprising a detonating cap and means for firing aid cap when said projectile has traversed a predetermined length of water trajectory.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature ,inpresence of two witnesses.

JOHN XV. DARLEY, JR. 

